January 6, 2012 Game Recap/Dicussion (for Zupizoo)

Crap. I forgot again that you guys want these later.

All of tonight's missolves, IMO, weren't as bad as last night's.

I respect Karen for not solving the bonus puzzle, because she just plain simply didn't know it; the WC probably wouldn't have made any difference.

Score: 7

Missed the opening toss-up finishing dinner, but here's my comments on the rest...

TU2: Once, just once, I would like the writers to use WAYD without putting -ING in it.

R1: Lots of multiples in this puzzle, and several letters get left behind. This is just a shame, since we only gave away $1,600 and a Kia tag. Speaking of the Kia tag, when (if ever) do you think they will stop honking the **expletive deleted** horn every time it's landed on?

R2: H is a dud for the second round in a row, but I expect a THE in the Trip Puzzle to balance it out. I don't know about anybody else, but it took me forever to get BUCKET - surely BAG or BOX would've been easier all around.

R3: Shockingly, there isn't a THE in this puzzle, but there's still an H, so all is well with the world. Great job, Karen, on turning in the Wild Card for $3,500 and jumping right into the lead with that Antigua trip!

TU3: Well done again, Karen, to clean up after the missed solve! That was just completely blown.

R4: The game's pretty much over after that $500 spin - nobody's catching Karen! She cut it a little close with the solve there, but still, $31,000 is a great total for the front game!

Bonus: I got this with Karen's picks (thinking GOOD QUALITY with RSTLNE), and it's too bad that she couldn't come through, but she's still got a nice haul to go away with!

Overall: This one started off slow but got better as it went on - R3 was really the crown of the whole show. Still, better than average and deserving of a 7/10 from me. Congrats, Karen!

The Bonus Round puzzle was HIGH QUALITY, not QUALITY TIME. Still, it was a pretty hard puzzle that the writers came up with.

Also wondering about the R4 camera angle at the end.

I got the BR with her choices after first thinking it was GOOD QUALITY, but only because I recognized that pattern on QUALITY TIME (which I blew).

I'm glad you all enjoyed the show. I'm just getting back from my viewing party and I'm exhausted, so I'll keep this brief. Tomorrow I'll type up a better report.

It was amazing. There was an edit after the close call in R4. It took at least 15 minutes to review the audio. The most nerve-racking 15 minutes ever!

We actually laugh when Pat spun the bankrupt. He did, too.

As for the bonus round, I just didn't have it. I only said high velocity because during the coaching earlier in the day they said we should try to say something. Doesn't matter though. I was so excited, and I still am! Lol

Until tomorrow,
Karen

Damn, really? I had no qualms live saying it was in time, but maybe when they go to review they always take that long?

Whoops! Thanks for correcting me on that. I was still able to get High Quality. Now that you mention my mistake, I edited my post and also thought about High Quality Time being a good Before & After puzzle.

Okay, here we go.

The entire day was just wonderful. The contestant coordinators are perfect for their jobs. Not only did they keep up pumped up for the entire, very long day; but they truly seemed to bond with us. They wanted us to do well and were disappointed when something didn't go our way.

Vanna stopped by twice before we started taping. Let me just say she is a truly stunning beauty without makeup. I felt the stage makeup actually dulled her looks (unlike mine, which made me look much younger...YES! lol) And, as other contestants have said, she is incredibly nice and supportive.

Watching the first four shows taped was fun, but surprisingly exhausting. By the time the taping begins, you've made friends with the other contestants. Every one of their highs and lows feel like your own.

I had been fairly calm all day, but the minute Pat stepped up to the podium I had a flash of panic that I would freeze up. The first toss up started, and it actually felt slower than I thought it would. The answer had just popped into my head when Allan pushed the button. I felt a silent sigh of relief when he missed it and the just hoped I could buzz before Angie. I did, and the puzzle was mine. The nerves were calm again.

Intro time was fun. We knew what information was on the cards but didn't know how Pat would present it. Keeps you on your toes that way, I guess.

After Angie's and Allen's intros, it was time for toss up number two. It took my brain some time to get it (maybe because I have a black thumb?), and I thought for sure one of the others would buzz in. But then I figured it out and got the solve.

Round number 1. I call it, "The one that got away." I made the fatal mistake of focusing on the last word in the puzzle, and it just wouldn't come to me. The second the play turned to Angie I saw the first word, and the puzzle jumped into my brain. There was no second chance, and I was so irritated with myself. At the same time I was happy for Angie and ready to keep going.

Round 2: LOVED getting the Wild Card. Did NOT love the Lose a Turn. lol. I had it by the time the turns got back to Allen, but I think he did by then, too. It would have to come down to him having a bad spin, which he didn't. I had a gut feeling the 10K was under the wedge, so I was relieved when he declined to pick up the wedge. Again, I was happy for my fellow contestant. The three of us had discussed the goose eggs that happened earlier in the day, and we were hoping we would all walk away with some wins.

Round 3: Prize Puzzle! Prize Puzzle! Prize Puzzle! That's all that kept going through my head. It's always a trip. I like vacations. Match made in heaven, right? Allen's guesses helped me get a couple of the words. When I landed on the $3500, I knew immediately that I was going to use the Wild Card. And after putting $7K in my bank, with a trip on the line too, I knew I was buying every vowel possible to keep control of the board. It's a strategy pushed to us all day, and it worked like a charm. Hubby and I are looking forward to beach bumming.

Toss up 3: I couldn't believe it when Angie guessed the Atlantic Ocean. It had been drilled into our heads all day to remember the theme. I think she fell prey to the same thing I did in round 1, concentrating on just one word in the puzzle. She picked up on ocean quickly and just didn't think the rest through. It helped me out a bunch, though, because I did not have it when she buzzed in but got it while she was answering.

Round 4: The hardest one yet, as was evident by the time it took for us to guess good letters. After guessing the c, I still didn't have it. Then I heard the tone indicating only vowels were left. And the panic started again. You can actually see it in my body language (I start leaning forward in desperation). I knew that if I didn't answer, one of the other players was going to get it. There was no way it was coming back to me. I didn't realize how much money was on the line, or that I would have made it to the bonus round regardless.

And then, it just popped into my head. I remembered the instruction to say the entire answer even if the buzzer sounds (that's actually how I won the round I was in at the Wheelmobile event). I spit out the answer, and Pat said, "I think she got it." But not in the tone he normally uses at the end of a round. It sounded like he was talking to the off camera folks, which he was. They said it was going for review. Pat turned to us and explained the rule again (you must start talking before the buzzer and not stop during the answer), and then he stepped off the podium.

And so began the longest 15 minutes of my life. We just stood there and waited and waited. I found myself just wishing over and over to have beat the buzzer. Next thing you know, here comes Pat. He gives me the OK sign and says, "We're good." I was smiling ear to ear. We retaped the end of the round, as y'all noticed yesterday.

From what I understand, if I had not beat the buzzer we would have played another round. I am happy to not know for sure what would have happened.

Bonus round: The staff briefed me quickly on how to introduce my family, how to spin and where to walk. Then it was time. As I said earlier, I just didn't have it. And I wasn't upset about that at all. I went into the day just happy to be there, with no expectations of how I would do. I feel like you can't WANT to do a certain way on Wheel. There's too many things that can hold you back by chance (that darn Lose a Turn!). To make it that far was more than enough.

When the round was over, I was allowed to go give my wonderful family a hug. Pat said, "I have to go meet that well dressed family of yours." He then walked over to them and shook all of their hands. My kids had been joking all week about asking to spin the wheel. I told them they were NOT to ask. My older child (who NEVER breaks the rules) just couldn't hold it in and said, "I know I'm going to be in trouble with Mom, but I have to ask...Can we spin the wheel?" And Pat said YES! He walked them over and let them spin a little. Talked to them about how heavy the wheel is and stuff like that. Needless to say, they are still star struck!

And that was it. The end of a dream day. I know this is a bit long, but I was trying to capture the entire day. Hope you enjoy!

Karen